Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I completely reject the premise of the question. As I've said, when we came into government we inherited a weakening economy, rising unemployment and a rapidly deteriorating budget position left behind by the Labor Party. The budget was deteriorating by $3 billion a week in the 11 weeks between the budget in May 2013 and the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook. As a result of our economic policy, economic growth is stronger, employment growth is stronger and the unemployment rate is well below where people had predicted it would be. The budget is in a much stronger position than when we came into government, on a much stronger forward trajectory than when we came into government. Our plan is working.

What is the alternative? The alternative is the anti-business, anti-opportunity, anti-jobs, politics-of-envy, high-taxing agenda of Mr Shorten, which would lead to less investment, lower growth, fewer jobs, higher unemployment and lower wages. The Australian people will not want to go for that sort of socialist agenda. That is certainly our very strong recommendation.